Winlink 2000Winlink 2000

Enhanced Digital Messaging Enhanced Digital Messaging

for Amateur Radiofor Amateur Radio

Bob Wiseman, WB3WEPA Section, District 2 DEC

Background

Winlink 2000 is a system originally developed over 10 years ago for recreational sailors to allow them to access Internet email via their marine radios, while out at sea, and was named “sailmail”

More than EmComm

While Winlink 2000 lends itself well to emergency communications, it can also be used by Hams for many other purposes.

Each year a group of Hams travel to remote South American regions, along with a volunteer medical team, to provide the doctors and nurses communications and email back home.

Annual IHS Honduras Trip

The ‘first class” sectionAn aerial view of the remote village

Each year the International Health Service (IHS) sends medical, dental and surgical teams to remote villages. The HIS relies on Amateur Radio operators and Winlink 2000 to keep in touch with the rest of the world.

Lor recently received the Atlantic Division Technical Achievement Award for his many contributions to Digital Communications and his work at organizing the Chester County EOC network

Lor Kutchins (W3QA) – Chester County RACES officer and EPA AEC. Loading the plane

IHS at Work

Family Checkup

Some Dental Work

Minor Surgery in the temporary O.R.

New Glasses

Email Comes to the Jungle

“Comm Center” with temporary dipole

Daily “net” back to the States –

Note the Pactor TNC

Nurse sending email with an xray attachment to Mayo Clinic

Local Tower Climber

What is Winlink 2000

It’s a robust wireless backup system for Internet E-mail linking Radio to the Internet.

It supports attachments, position reporting, graphical and text weather bulletins in a redundant, mirrored worldwide network

It’s highly adaptable for emergency communications.

What is Winlink 2000

Email can be sent to and from Radio users or regular everyday Internet addresses.

It can automatically switch from normal “wired” Internet connection to a radio connection via VHF or HF.

It can be used in either mobile or fixed operations

Winlink 2000 is E-Mail

It is the fastest most dependable, transparent backup e-mail network that bridges any distance, when the normal Internet connection is “broken”

…It’s Email via Ham Radio !!!

Why E-mail ?

•E-mail is “universal” and has become the standard method for fast written communications for all of us.

•It is used extensively by individuals, government agencies, and organizations like the Red Cross and Salvation Army, replacing other means like Telegrams and Telex messages.

Between different AgenciesBetween an Agency and the FieldBetween an Agency to multi-pointsBetween Agencies and anywhere!

Served Agencies rely on e-mail

It won’t let me send the

request for tactical

assistance

What happened

to my connection?

Are the phone lines

down?

If a disaster strikes, and a community’s “Last Mile” Internet link is broken, or the agency email server is down, then normal email cannot flow.

I can’t receive the

list of donors.

Normal E-mail requires an Internet Connection

The Last Mile PathThe Last Mile Path

The “Last Mile” is the path across an area where conventional communications have

been disrupted or overloaded by an incident.

The “Last Mile” is an important concept!

Why Winlink 2000?

•Winlink can provide e-mail to served agencies:

Using their existing e-mail programs,

With minimal or no additional training,

On their own computers in their own offices,

With no additional software installed on their computer,

From inside a disaster area, and without normal e-mail servers or Internet connection.

It doesn’t add to the stress or learning curve when in an emergency situation

Email Features

It works with familiar e-mail software like Outlook, Eudora, Netscape, Lotus, Thunderbird, etc.

Anyone can use their current address book and a spell-checker

They can send to multiple recipients (to:, cc:) and use attachments

It works with multiple computers on a LAN with no additional user software, without compromising security

Unfortunately, in today’s World, we cannot predict the frequency, size, nature Unfortunately, in today’s World, we cannot predict the frequency, size, nature or location of our disaster areas! We be must prepared, Globally.or location of our disaster areas! We be must prepared, Globally.

Local? Regional? Global?

Traditional Roleof Amateur Radio support

Report health and welfare of affected public Voice communications among served agencies (EOC's,

hospitals, shelters, and incident command.) Site tactical support – Incident Command, search and

rescue, damage and storm reporting (SKYWARN). Hand the microphone to the served agencies whose radio

isn’t working Formal, structured written emergency traffic handling.

But, our traditional methods But, our traditional methods failfail for message for message handling in today’s agencies…….handling in today’s agencies…….

For Complex Messages

Voice, Morse code, Radiograms, and traditional Packet radio won’t do…

way too slow, translation required, inflexible, prone to error, no permanent record, not self-originating, not point-to-multipoint.

doesn’t go end-to-end from user-to-user on their own computers in their own offices & no attachments and no automatic distribution..

Since the Advent of e-mail

There is a need for delivering written procedures, lists, graphics, images, etc. in the documents to multiple recipients!

Multiple recipient e-mail with attachments is the de facto standard to carry written information.

Hand-written message forms are seldom used, and are not transparent to normal operations!

E-Mail via Ham Radio

E-MAIL VIA HAM RADIO

…do Hams do that?

How ?

Winlink 2000

The Winlink 2000 networkThe Winlink 2000 network

The Winlink 2000 Network

..

VHF/UHF regional Paclink

email Client

HF long-haul Airmail email

Client

VHF/UHF regional Telpac

Internet Gateway

Full-time (redundant) Central Mail Servers (CMS)

HF long-haul PMBO Internet

Gateway

PMBO

PMBO

CMSCMS

Confusing and Confusing and Complicated?Complicated?

…Complicated?…..Confusing??

But, it is really straightforward when we break it down into its basic components for the local Amateur wanting to get involved…….

Does it look

Winlink 2000Winlink 2000

…..Intimidating???

•VHF/UHF using Paclink or Airmail

•VHF/UHF Telpac Internet Gateways

•Long Range High Frequency with Airmail

Paclink for VHF/UHF Paclink is a “user” program installed on a local Ham’s

computer to allow them to send and receive email via the Internet or by using VHF/UHF packet communications, usually connecting to a remote Telpac station.

Paclink is an email server acting like your local ISP connecting via the Internet or over Radio to transfer mail using Outlook, Endura, Thunderbird, Netscape, or other email clients.

A single Paclink server can host multiple other computers on an agency LAN.

Paclink will automatically switch from an Internet connection to a Radio connection upon detecting that the Internet is down.. 

Airmail for HF or VHF

Airmail is also a “user” program used primarily for a connection to an HF radio participating  station, using PACTOR. 

However, it can also be used for VHF/UHF Packet. 

Airmail also has an option for a direct Internet connection similar to Paclink.

  Airmail also contains position reporting, weather faxing,

and a propagation predictor showing each of the participating PMBO’s throughout the Globe.

Telpac Gateway Since VHF/UHF is basically line-of-site, Paclink stations

typically connect to dedicated 24/7 Telpac Gateway stations strategically located within a county or local area

Telpac stands for TELnet-PACket Bridge, and is a “host” program on a remote PC that bridges the gap from that “Last Mile“ to the wired Internet connection.

It allows VHF/UHF packet users to access regular Internet email from a basic radio connection.

It is simple to setup, and acts muck like a regular packet or APRS digipeater, but “relays” the radio signal to an Internet email server, and is ideal for a temporary emergency setup at an unattended  remote location.  

What Equipment and Software is needed?

Basic VHF/UHF Winlink E-mail setup

Paclink Requirements:

Software:

• Microsoft NET framework 1.1

• AGWPE Packet Engine Driver

• PaclinkAGW and Paclink Post Office

• Windows 2000 or XP

Hardware:

• VHF Radio

• TNC modem

• PC (Preferably a Laptop)

You can also use Airmail with VHF

But is not as user friendly to employees or volunteers at the various served agency

What is required for HF Pactor?

Software:

• Airmail Software

• Windows 98, ME, 2000 or XP

Hardware:

• HF Radio

• Pactor capable HF TNC

• HF Antenna and perhaps Tuner

• Personal Computer

Pactor 3 or 2 is highly recommended over Pactor 1

An 80 kb file on Pactor 1 transfers in approx. 80 mins. – On Pactor 3, it is only 5-7 mins.

The HF software is free – but the Pactor Modems can get very expensive…..

Airmail Requirements:

Basic VHF/UHF Telpac setup

Software:

• AGWPE Packet Engine Driver

• Telpac Software

• Windows 98, ME, 2000 or XP

Hardware:

• VHF Radio

• TNC modem

• PC -- at Home or Agency

There is nothing special about Telpac. It is a basic packet radio station running 24/7 with an Internet connection – either full-time or dial-up.

Telpac Gateway Requirements:

And how does it all come together?

A typical ham radio “Last Mile” e-mail station is basically composed of three simple components operating on VHF/UHF.

Laptop for a Portable Station.

A basic Packet Radio Modem (TNC.)

A VHF or UHF Radio and a Good Antenna

Or a Desktop for an agency

The software is free and most Amateur Radio stations already have these available, so cost is minimal or none..

A Basic Paclink e-mail Station

Paclink Connects to TelpacPaclink Connects to Telpac

The Paclink client typically routes email messages To and From a Telpac gateway

The Telpac software is basically a program that waits for a RF packet connection, and then sends and receives email to and from that RF station by a direct connection to the Internet. It runs automatically and unattended.

To send or receive email, this station within the “Last Mile” could connect to a nearby Telpac gateway.

The Telpac gateway has a full time 24/7 dedicated Internet connection to a PMBO server.

..

VHF/UHF regional Telpac Internet

Gateway

VHF/UHF regional Paclink email Client

Bridging the “Last Mile” via Telpac

All the computers within the agency can use their existing Local Area Network to tie into the Paclink client server.

..

VHF/UHF regional Telpac

Internet Gateway

VHF/UHF regional Paclink

email Client

Hub

Connecting to the Agency LAN

VHF/UHF regional Paclink

email Client

..

VHF/UHF regional Telpac

Internet Gateway

If the local area is completely cut off, then communications can switch to distant High Frequency stations.

In this case, the software used on the PC is a program named Airmail.

HF Long-Haul PMBO Internet

Gateway

HF Long-Haul Airmail email

Client

PMBO

There are currently 25 full-time stations in the U.S. with more around the world.

The VHF components are replaced with HF running Pactor protocol.

What if no Regional Telpac is available?

Review Review Network againNetwork again

So now let's go back and look at the So now let's go back and look at the network again, and see how these network again, and see how these components all fit together…….components all fit together…….

Network ComponentsNetwork Components

The Winlink 2000 Network

..PMBO

CMSCMS

PMBO

VHF/UHF regional Paclink

email Client

HF long-haul Airmail email

Client

VHF/UHF regional Telpac

Internet Gateway

Full-time (redundant) Central Mail Servers (CMS)

HF long-haul PMBO Internet

Gateway

HF & Airmail

VHF & Paclink

VHF Telpac

HF PMBO’s

Winlink 2000 Today

It has been supporting emergency communications worldwide with > 99% availability for seven years.

Over 50 Amateur Radio EmComm Participating locations (PMBOs) with 25 in USA. Many locations contain multiple stations.

There are approximately 9,500 radio users and approximately 98,000 Internet email recipients.

Monthly traffic averages over 150,000 messages or 280,000 minutes.

Over 300 VHF/UHF Active Telpac Gateways in operation.

The ARRL is implementing a National Plan

In cooperation with its partnership with Homeland Security, and at their recommendation, the ARRL Board has agreed to provide a nationwide digital system to enhance the communications capability of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®).

There are situations, the Board said, when ARES® "must have the capability to pass digital traffic across the nation quickly and accurately.”

It must also be transparent, seamless,end-to-end, and take only minutes from origination to destination.

Army MARS Network

(Mar. 2, 2006) …..The Army Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) just announced that they are implementing Winlink 2000 as a new Global Network

They expect it will provide interconnection from within their own network and other local and regional agencies served by Amateur Radio

New Mexico Grant

(Mar. 24, 2006)…New Mexico has allocated $500,000 to design, construct and install a statewide Amateur Radio emergency communications network

Plans call for interlinked VHF and UHF repeaters to handle both Voice and Digital communication including Winlink

Harris County (Houston,) Texas. “A mature system.” Harris County TexasHarris County Texas

So, What can You do?

Learn to use Airmail, Telpac and Paclink.

Help deploy local Telpac gateways.

Help deploy mobile Paclink & fixed Paclink LANs in places where it will be of value during an emergency.

Consider self-powered, mobile or fixed Airmail, long-range HF Stations..

Devise A Plan

Set up a strategy and a time-line for each task. Coordinate efforts with the EC’s, SEC’s, DECs, SM.

Ask other ARES® communities for assistance.

Involve and commit the end-user. They are the one’s to benefit!

Implement the plan in stages.

Test it, Test it,…..and Test it again.

With Winlink…..

We can keep Agencies connected without an immediate Internet connection.

Let’s make EmComm as easy & transparent as possible for those who need it during an emergency situation.

Winlink 2000 is Proven

Winlink 2000 is a proven, existing, operational,

dependable, redundant, secure, reliable Amateur radio

email messaging network that is being made available

to the ARES® & RACES communities.

Paclink Screen Shot

PacklinkAGWcommunication

module

Packlink PostOffice

Email Server

Regular MS Outlook Express

Email program

Airmail Main Screen

Credits and Thanks

STEVE WATERMAN, K4CJXWinlink 2000 Network Administrator,

Winlink 2000 Development Team

LORING A KUTCHINS, W3QAEPA Assistant SEC

For earlier research and presentations that helped in putting this one together